A stellar-wind focusing mechanism as an explanation for Herbig-Haro objects

Journal Article · Fri Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1980 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/158186· OSTI ID:6735493

Canto, J; Rodriguez, L F

The steady state solution for the interaction of an isotropic stellar wind with a homogeneous, isothermal nebular environment is a spherical cavity, filled by unshocked stellar wind, and bounded by a shock. The radius of the shock is determined by the condition of balance between the ram pressure of the wind and the ambient gas pressure. In this paper we consider the interaction of an isotropic stellar wind with a nebular environment having a pressure gradient. This situation is expected to apply for recently formed stars located at the edge of a dark cloud. The resulting static configurations are ovoid-shaped cavities with the star located near the tip closer to the high-density region. The stellar wind suffers a first shock against the oblique walls of the configuration and is refracted in the form of an annular stream toward the distant tip of the cavity. At this point a second shock occurs when the stream is forced to move away from the star. Upon cooling, this gas radiates with the characteristic parameters of an HH object. This model is applied to HH 1 and found to account satisfactorily for the observations.

• Research Organization: Instituto de Astronomia, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico
• OSTI ID: 6735493
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 239:3; ISSN ASJOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640102* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Stars & Quasi-Stellar
Radio & X-Ray Sources
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
CONFIGURATION
FLUID FLOW
ISOTROPY
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NEBULAE
SHOCK WAVES
STAR MODELS
STEADY-STATE CONDITIONS
STELLAR WINDS